Wild Earth Overview

At Wild Earth, everyone is respected and valued as a unique individual. The goal is to provide homeschooled children and young people with a supportive and natural space to explore their passions while developing and deepening their connection to nature, others, and self. 

Wild Earth is dedicated to being a safe place for all young people, families and community members. We celebrate differences and take inclusion seriously. We embrace self-expression, authenticity, diversity, and consent and do not discriminate based on gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, race or ethnicity, nationality, religion, physical ability, or any other definable or non-definable descriptor. 

We are a youth-centred community that upholds and supports the rights of young people. Children and young community members determine how they will spend their time at Wild Earth and what interests they will pursue. Adults at Wild Earth will not coerce, impose or manipulate them to do anything. The young people have a say in and their consent is required for everything that impacts them at Wild Earth. Young people are encouraged to ask questions to make informed decisions. 

Parents/guardians are advised that they should read all the relevant information before committing to enrol their child(ren) at Wild Earth. Parents are expected to familiarise themselves with Self Directed Learning (SDL), Restorative Language and Practices, Childrens’ Rights and Nature Education. 

It is advantageous to the experience that these approaches are practised outside of the sessions at Wild Earth. Wild Earth will also host quarterly Parent Gatherings, where we will review these concepts and approaches together. 

Please refer to our Community Handbook for more detailed information and our Policies and Procedures.

The Logistics

Wild Earth will take place in Ennistymon or at predetermined locations (with advance notice), from September through June, for 4 days per week (Mon-Thurs). Seanóirs are onsite from 9:30-2:30; core hours are from 10-2. Please see the calendar (final page) as we follow the national school holiday schedule. 

Joining the Community & Integration Period

Once an application is completed and if space is available, we will invite you and your child(ren) for an hour visit at Wild Earth during operational hours with the children/young people. The next phase would include a meeting with all parents/caregivers involved in the child’s life and the Wild Earth team to ensure that the learning community and our values are a fit for your family.

Upon joining the community, there will be an integration period of 1 month for each child. This is to ensure that Wild Earth is the proper fit for your family and child(ren) and that everyone feels safe and happy with being a part of the community. Throughout the month, the children and young people, parents/guardians and staff and facilitators at Wild Earth will have an opportunity to reflect and decide to continue or not. 

Homeschool Registration

In Ireland, parents and guardians are recognized as the primary educators of their children. Children and young people attending Wild Earth will be registered as home educated through Tusla, with parent(s)/guardian(s) as their primary educators. 

For more information on registering your child, please visit: Tusla Homeschool Registration

Wild Earth is supplementary to your homeschooling experience and as such, children and young people are not required to be in attendance all 4 days of each week. Please be in contact with us in the morning to confirm attendance. 

How will our days look?

Children and young people should arrive onsite from 10am. 

Upon arrival and once settled in around 10:30, we will come together for a morning gathering to say “good morning,” discuss the daily activities, reminders and to check in with feelings and intentions. The morning gathering is central to our connection as a community. Agreements, thoughts, concerns and discussion topics are added to an ongoing list to be explored during our bi-weekly discussion meetings (Tuesdays and Thursdays). 

During their time here, children and young people will have unfettered access to the natural world and spaces provided, within our community setting limits and with consideration of the safety measures we identify together. They will play and socialise as much as they’d like and whenever they’d like. The same goes for eating, reading, working, exploring, etc.! You get the idea!

The children themselves initiate activities, which can then be further explored with the participation of skilled facilitators brought in based on the children and young people’s interests when possible. We will be inviting skilled members of the wider community into Wild Earth to share their skills with us. Young and adult community members are all encouraged to host clubs based on their specific interests or skill-sets.

Around 1:30, the community will work together to tidy up the site. We will meet for an afternoon game at 1:50 and then be prepared to leave at 2pm. Please aim to collect children  no later than 2:15, as the Seanóirs meet from 2:15-2:30 daily. 

Mondays are community gardening/landscaping/maintenance days. On Thursdays, we will collect food we have grown or bring some from home and come together to cook and enjoy a meal as a community. Twice per month, our young people will avail of the local community hall for athletics and the Youth Space in the Family Resource Centre. While we have a general schedule, we are open and flexible depending on the needs of the young people.

Our Space

The Yurt: This is our cosy gathering space, where soft crafts and events take place. There are books and sensory toys and lots of comfortable seating. When we can’t have our gatherings outside, we will have them in the Cosy Room.

The Cabin: The cabin will be the focused activities room, with books, games, music, a computer and more. 

The Lean-To: This is where backpacks and jackets are kept.

In addition to the abundant nature and trees for climbing and fort-making, the site will include a poly tunnel, an outdoor kitchen and space for woodworking. 

Safety

To avail of certain spaces/resources, community members must first complete certifications. For example, if they wish to utilise the cooking space, they will have to attend a session with one of the facilitators or seanóirs to determine proper and safe use of the equipment. Sessions will be offered when there is a request, and will be open to community members who have interest. Additionally, there will be refresher sessions each term for those who have previously qualified. 

Our full-time seanóirs are certified in First Aid, Food and Safety level 1, and have completed Tusla’s Children First training. They have extensive experience teaching and working with children and young people in various settings. All adults on site will be garda vetted. 

A complete Overview is sent out to individuals who have applied, along with a full Welcome Package.